It is known to provide a motor vehicle having engine stop/start functionality in which the engine is automatically switched off when the vehicle is temporarily held stationary using a braking system of the vehicle. In a vehicle having an automatic transmission, if the vehicle is held stationary against the driving force of the powertrain the transmission is configured to allow slip of one or more clutches and/or a torque converter thereof in order to prevent the engine from stalling. The engine constantly transfers torque to the driveline against the slipping clutches/torque converter, causing driveline “wind-up”. In some known vehicles having stop/start functionality, the transmission is caused to either substantially fully disconnect the engine from the driveline before allowing the engine to switch off, or implement a transmission idle control functionality in which the amount of torque transmitted by the transmission 108 to the driveline 109 is reduced substantially, in some arrangements by around 60-80%, causing the driveline to relax and release energy stored by the driveline in its ‘wound up’ condition. The release of energy causes NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) shock, which may be felt by the driver. The engine is then turned off. It is to be understood that the NVH experienced by the driver whilst the driveline relaxes and the engine is switched off may be unexpected by the driver since it is typically not a substantially instant response to actuation of a control by the driver. In contrast, NVH due to restarting of the engine typically follows substantially immediately after release of the brake pedal 140P or depression of the accelerator pedal 110P by the driver.
It is an aim of the present invention to address disadvantages associated with the prior art.